RAM air flaps control

[SteveO_71]

You would need to make sure there is enough fuel going through the carburetor via main and secondary jets and power valve. The combination of cooler (denser) air and supposedly faster air flow could lean out the engine if not set up correctly. You would also need to make sure the total timing was set correctly.

Thanks don! So it sounds like if the car came with the ram air system from the factory then the carb would be rejetted and adjusted to accommodate that. Could the ram-air carb be attached to another Mach without the ram air or would someone need to be aware of what type of setup the carb was coming from (ram-air car vs non ram-air car)?

Thanks!

 

[Don C]

I'm not sure if Ford calibrated ram air carburetors differently or not, especially for '71s. By '73 I'm guessing they did due to emissions.

From the factory the carburetors were set up so they would function through a wide range of altitudes and atmospheric conditions and as such were kind of one size fits all.

It really doesn't make any difference if they did or not, jets and power valve changes are easy to do.

 

[tony-muscle]

I wanted to follow up on this thread. The other day I finally tested the manual air ram control with the EFI system. I was cruising at about 50 mph and when I turned the switch on which opens the air ram flaps the AFR increased to about 15-16 for a split second until the EFI system compensates with more fuel turning it down to 14ish. This is not a WOT so I can control the opening and closing of the flaps manually through the vacuum solenoid I installed. These results indicate that there is definitely more air being pushed down the intake. I tried several times with consistent results. Now, the real question is, does it make a significant power impact and I don't have a real answer for it since I was not measuring acceleration or anything like that. So the jury still is open in regards to it adding power or not. My guess is that it ought to be adding some power since more air and fuel are going down the intake. However, the magnitude of the power increase is debatable.

PS: I ended up using the Dorman's 911-604 vacuum switch activated by a switch inside the car.

 

[73pony]

Do you have any pics of the install?

 

[tony-muscle]

Here are some pictures I took last night.

The solenoid valve is under that tower brace in the circled area:



This is a close-up of underneath the brace. I added the vacuum elbow fitting and cemented it to the solenoid.

The arrows point towards the engine:

 

[1sostatic]

I like flaps .... ooops wrong forum :blush:

 

[Fabrice]

[My guess is that it ought to be adding some power since more air and fuel are going down the intake. However, the magnitude of the power increase is debatable.]

The EFI still monitors the mix and adjusts realtime, so at sustained speed that should not change anything, but this tells you the scoops are doing their job.

At WOT condition, as the air is under pressure, the same will occur, and the limit will be how much your injectors can compensate the need for extra fuel.

I know from the sniper doc, it can cope up to 900 cfm's and max 600HP. so if your EFI has some margin of use, an healthy engine with plenty exhaust, you should get more acceleration power and respons with flaps open when air enters the engine with greater than atmospheric pressure.

Nice test!

 

[Mister 4x4]

No-cost solution: disconnect the Ram Air flapper control vacuum altogether and block it off - leave the flapper on the end of the air cleaner connected to the engine's thermal-control valve.  You'll always pull cooler air through the Ram Air, but if you need warmer air for cold starts, the flapper on the air cleaner will still open and let warmer under hood air in to help during 'warm-up.'

I see no benefits to to the Ram Air flappers ever closing, aside from helping with cold starts in colder climates.

I have kind of half-assed tested this, as my car's original factory Ram Air flappers had lost their vacuum-ability LONG before I bought it - they're always open.  I don't drive it during cold days, so I can't speak to the whole 'cold-start' aspect, either... not that we have all that many cold days in West Texas.

 

[Fabrice]

I see no benefits to to the Ram Air flappers ever closing, aside from helping with cold starts in colder climates. 

Using an EFI, I don't even think that matters much. Starts as good cold or warm.

Drove also years without the flaps, having a custom ram-air plenum, always had the air coming exclusively from the scoops.

You got to admit that having the flaps is extra cool when functional. I plan add some on my 73, but using a servo to open/close on key-on/off instead of vac.

 

[tony-muscle]

I agree that it would be easier just to unplug them. I don't drive it in the rain either which may be another reason to keep the flaps close. Regardless, I like the idea of adding customization like this just because.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Oh, don't get me wrong - they're cool beyond words, especially when they work.  I was just throwing that out there.

Having them electronically controlled by a switch or the key is a cool custom feature as well.

I don't think there are issues with driving in the rain - not much in the way of water should really find its way in enough to soak the air filter (I'm guessing) aside from someone splashing the hood with a small pond-sized puddle or something like that.  The air cleaner should have some drainage, I believe.

 

[tony-muscle]

Oh, don't get me wrong - they're cool beyond words, especially when they work.  I was just throwing that out there.

Having them electronically controlled by a switch or the key is a cool custom feature as well.

I don't think there are issues with driving in the rain - not much in the way of water should really find its way in enough to soak the air filter (I'm guessing) aside from someone splashing the hood with a small pond-sized puddle or something like that.  The air cleaner should have some drainage, I believe.

::thumb:: ::thumb:: 

Yeah, the plenum has the drain holes for water.

As a kid I remember watching Speed Racer's Mach 5 with all the buttons in the steering wheel hub. That's the goal, but I still have a lot of work ahead of me to make them all work :whistling:. The next button is "B".

There were 8 buttons in the hub.

Button A, Auto Jack: Releases four jacks to boost the car up so that it can be repaired. Although designed for this function, the auto jacks are more often used to jump the car short distances, as a wedge to keep the car from toppling over a waterfall, or as an alternative braking system. The spring-like sound the jacks make is distinctive to the show.

Button B, Belt Tires: Sprouts special grip tires for traction over any kind of terrain (firm, icy, or unsteady ground; ocean floor; vertical mountainsides). At the same time, 5,000 horsepower (3,700 kW) is distributed evenly to all four wheels (1,250 hp/932.13 kW).

Button C, Cutter Blades: Powerful rotary saws protrude from the front of the Mach Five to remove obstacles in its way such as trees. Mostly used for racing in forest areas (especially when Speed gets forced off the road).

Button D, Deflector: Releases a powerful deflector which seals the cockpit in a bullet-proof and crash-proof, and either an air-tight or water-tight chamber depending on the environment around the car. Inside it, the car driver is completely invulnerable.

Button E, Evening or Illuminating Eye or Special Illumination: The control for special illumination which can be traversed singly or in tandem, and which enables to see much farther and more clearly than with ordinary headlights.

Button F, Frogger Mode: Used when the Mach Five is under water. First, the cockpit is supplied with oxygen. Then, a periscope is raised to scan the surface of the water. Everything that is seen is relayed down to the driver's seat by television. The 100-pound (45 kg) auxiliary supply of oxygen is enough to last for thirty minutes.

Button G, Go Homing Robot: Releases a homing robot bird from the front of the car. The homing robot bird can fly and can carry pictures or tape recorded messages, handwritten messages, X-ray film, rope, and small Egyptian statues, and it has been used as a last resort as a makeshift weapon for means of defense. The bird-like device is operated by a built-in remote control within the cockpit.

Button H, Homing Deviceg): This button is, unlike the other buttons, not located on the steering wheel; instead is located on a console between the seats. Button H is part of the Go Homing Robot's controls, and it simply sends the robot "home” to a pre-programmed location, usually Speed's house.

Source: Wikipedia.

 

[Spike Morelli]

I'm not sure that Ford ever rated the Ram-Air cars as having any more horsepower over the non-such equipped Mustangs. It's likely that any improvement came more from cooler,denser air being introduced, rather than being "rammed"in…..just my observation. However, back when "Musclecars" were first being marketed, the manufacturers knew that hood scoops sold "street-cred", along with stripes, spoilers, wings, flashy colors, white-lettered tires, etc. What the hell, would we have it any other way?

 

[secluff]

Spike, all the manufacturers were playing so many games with the horsepower numbers, it was hard to believe any numbers you were given then. A 428 CJ with 427 heads and a truck load of performance parts rated at the same 335 HP as a 390 GT!? Same with the Boss 429 with heads the size of Kansas and rated at the same level as a 429 CJ/SCJ!

I was always told the optimal location for a hood scoop was at the high pressure areas which are at the front leading edge of the hood (71-72 GTO, 68 GT500 Shelby, 67 427 Fairlane) or at the cowl area much like you saw on the cowl induction Camaros and Chevelles to name a few. And as David can testify, during the carburetor days, the air cleaners on the Nascar engines were  constructed to draw air from the area just in front of the windshield.

Like you stated the biggest gain is more than likely from the cooler denser air being drawn in rather than any ram air effect unless running over the other side of 150MPH!   :whistling:

Like you said, the "Street-Cred" rules in the 60's and 70's dicated that you have the look. Even if your car wouldn't  run over a 100 MPH if it fell off a cliff, it still needed that look. The hood scoops, stripes, spoilers, N-50 tires (remember those), thrush mufflers, and plenty of Keystone and Cragar wheels, it was a rite of passage. 

I always loved the look of the Shaker ram air system, but the 71-73 NASA hood seemed to have the best integrated look. Seemed like a lot of the hot rods (factory and back yard built)  had that "I Just Came From KMart" appearance!!

 

[Spike Morelli]

Kinda a side-story about the factory Ram-Air vacuum motors...…...Years ago, I worked in auto parts, first, for a chain called Sturtevants, then for an independent store. Both stores had a catalog in the rack of Ignition parts, having also temp sensing vacuum parts AND air cleaner snorkel vacuum motors. When I bought my Mach 1 used, the Ram-Air vacuum motors were not working and the aftermarket only offered re-building of original units for big money. I substituted my Ram-Air motors with air cleaner motors ( they look the same ) after the store agreed to order about seven different part numbers to figure which would adapt best. The snorkel flap motor I used, and are still working some 29 years later, only cost about $2.50 each then. If you have a friend at your local parts store, you can do the same and fix yours inexpensively if you're not concerned with concours originality.

 

[tony-muscle]

I did the same. I have the part number somewhere in my build thread. The only difference was the color. I may have had to rebend the rod.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[tony-muscle]

I did the same. I have the part number somewhere in my build thread. The only difference was the color. I may have had to rebend the rod.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I found the thread where I posted the part numbers for the actuator I used, and cross-references. I think the mounting holes don't fit either but that's easy. I can't remember at this time what I did to adapt but it was not that hard.

I used the Borg Warner #EC514. They are hard to find, but here are some cross-references:

AIRTEX 6V1021

CARQUEST 577750

WELLS E308

MOTORCRAFT CX149

 


https://www.ebay.com/p/Vacuum-Motor-Motorcraft-CX-149/140533846